Maserati has been around since Brothers Ernesto, Alfieri, and Eltore opened the first car workshop in Bologna in 1914. The company has been largely inconsistent over the decades, changing owners several times until Fiat Chrysler Automobiles bought it in 1993. While Maserati always produced some of the rarest, exclusive, and most impressive cars and SUVs money can buy, they've somehow always operated in the shadows of other Italian brands like Ferrari and Lamborghini. But the powers at Stellantis want to change the narrative. Their revival plan for the Italian marque includes a Porsche Macan rival, a string of electric models, and a Ferrari-fighting super sports car in the MC20.
The MC20's release was symbolic of what to expect from the Trident brand. It is the first Maserati supercar since the Ferrari Enzo-powered MC12, last built in 2005, and remains the fastest Maserati ever made. The all-new Maserati MC20 is an absolute gem that will win several supercar buyers' hearts. It might help Maserati reassert its independence and relevancy within the Stellantis group of automotive companies. This is what we now know about the Maserati MC20.
10 First All-new Maserati Engine In Two Decades
All Maserati cars made since Fiat Chrysler bought the company used Ferrari-sourced engines. But this is the last year Ferrari will be producing engines for Maserati. Now, Maserati is debuting its all-new engine with the MC20, their first in-house developed and built engine program in twenty years.
The 3-liter twin-turbo V6 dubbed Nettuno adopts a 90-degree architecture to achieve the lowest center of gravity. It is compact, light, and powerful, making 630 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. It is an impressive output, resulting in quick acceleration of 0-62mph in under 2.9 seconds and 202mph top speed.
9 Features Patented F1 Technology
Obviously, the output numbers are great, but the technical details about the Nettuno engine are more impressive. It features twin-spark combustion chambers, a technology used in Formula, which Maserati has now patented and used for the first time in a road car.
How does the system work? It comes with a pre-chamber housing the first spark plug and functions as the primary ignition point, where most fuel burning occurs. The second plug, the side plug, only comes to play when the engine isn't overworked, thus reducing fuel consumption.
8 Lower Fuel Consumption Than Required By Law
Governments and regional jurisdictions have imposed stringent regulations to protect the environment that dictate how much carbon dioxide a car is allowed to emit. While these fuel economy standards have been around since 1975, they've gotten stricter in the last decade, with the EU imposing excessively stringent and seemingly unrealistic targets for automakers. But this new Maserati engine is returning lower fuel consumption than required by law.
This is mostly thanks to the twin spark system, which has consequently allowed them to squeeze more performance from the V6 engine while complying with emission targets.
7 Carbon Fiber Aplenty
Maserati won't be applying for another patent for the carbon fiber monocoque, since it's been used by supercars for a while. But the MC20 is the brand's first car to use this technology, resulting in an incredibly lightweight car. The Monocoque is built from 57 separate pieces of carbon fiber and weighs just 220 pounds, with a total curb weight of just over 3,300 pounds.
The carbon fiber chassis is the work of Dallara, a motorsports giant who has previously worked with IndyCar and F1 teams.
6 Striking Italian Beauty
Part of the allure of Italian cars lies in their beauty. Sometimes they do mess up and produce hilariously ugly cars. These are exceptions, though; nobody's perfect. Except for this time, Maserati came pretty close to perfection with the MC20. The car's styling is minimal yet elegant. In 2020, it was voted the most beautiful supercar of the year before its launch.
Flat surfaces and smooth arcs are favored over dramatic wedges or complex curves. It combines beauty and masculinity, and everything from the front splitter to the aggressive rear diffuser plays a role in leading-edge aerodynamics. But, the highlight is the beautiful butterfly doors that make for a dramatic entrance and exit that never gets old.
5 Digital Rear View Mirror
Supercars suffer from poor visibility, and you can barely see behind you. This is because the car's shape influences its aerodynamics, and it gets worse for the mid-engined supercars. Opening up the rear of the car would reduce the car's stiffness, and the engine will block your view anyway. This greatly compromises practicality, and parking these cars is a nightmare. It is the same case with the MC20, whose low roofline gets in the way of rearward visibility.
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Gladly, the MC20 comes with a digital rearview mirror, featuring a rear-facing camera that projects images onto the screen mounted on the windshield like in regular cars. The camera is different from the parking camera as it is mounted lower.
4 Blends Track Readiness With Road-Trip Worthy Comfort
All supercars are imbued with racing DNA, since they are supremely fast and have rapid acceleration that normal cars can only dream of. But that is where the story ends for most, as they tend to be unusable for mundane tasks like commuting and road trips, except for a select few supercars like the Maserati MC20 that offers the best of both worlds.
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The MC20 has a rare blend of track readiness and road-trip-worthy comfort. But it is on-brand, since many Maserati grand tourers of old wore ultra-soft and comfortable interiors.
3 Fuoriserie Edition For David Beckham
Maserati has an in-house customization program dubbed the Fuoriserie, allowing customers to create and style a Maserati in their image. The program features two bold collections with many possibilities, starting on a blank sheet. Beckham is the Italian Brands' global ambassador, and they built him his MC20 Fuoriserie Edition with help from Maserati Centro Stile designers.
It is arguably the most stunning version of the car yet, coming in black and pink harmonious chromatic contrast, with an interplay of glossy and matte surfaces. Alcantara seats with pink stitching dorn the interior, and there is a customized DBMC20 nameplate on the door and another elegant "For David" inscription. It is certain to turn heads or bend necks like Beckham.
2 Makes Up For Lack Of Charisma With Capability
The MC20 doesn't boast the ambitions of Lamborghini's V10s or the awe-inspiring grasp of the tarmac like an RS Porsche or the Ferrari liveliness. But it does make up for all this with its planted, long-distance friendly capacity, which the rivals don't have. The grand touring leaning McLaren GT lacks in track prowess. But the MC20 is a slayer on the circuit, and you can actually drive it all day.
So, while the MC20 may lack the high-end signifiers and charisma to match its rivals, it makes up for its capabilities. It provides satisfying power and a smooth ride, and is a worthy alternative to the usual suspects.
1 Future Ready Platform
Maserati, like most automakers, plans toward an all-electric future, with all models coming 100% electric by 2025. An all-electric version of the Quattroporte arrives in 2024, followed by the Levante Folgore in 2025. The first 100% electric prototype of the new Maserati GranTurismo is already running on the streets of Modena for testing. The MC20's future is also electric, and Maserati confirmed they are working on the said drivetrain.
The electric version will be faster than the gasoline version, with two electric motors providing power to an all-wheel-drive layout. The MC20 platform is future-forward and is more robust for instant EV torque than for the V6 it currently hosts.